The daylong session took place at the Northeastern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy in Glenview and was organized by the Rolling Meadows Fire Department. The participants at the training session were all medical professionals, including physical therapists and orthopedic surgeons, who spent a day walking in the shoes of their patients.

Wearing complete firefighting gear — including turnout pants and jacket, helmet, boots and a 25-pound breathing apparatus — they crawled through simulations of burning buildings, advanced hose lines into a heated fire environment, and even learned how to transport a victim from a second-floor fire.

“It’s a lot harder than I thought,” said Dr. Bryant Ho of Hinsdale Orthopedics. “I didn’t expect to encounter some of these obstacles. Working under these conditions just puts a lot more strain on their bodies than other professions.”